Селеста / Сelesta: Глава 11

Chapter 11

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 14:05

The standard tactic of laying low somewhere near the person of interest and eavesdropping on his conversations did not work this time. Poyr, the light-worshipper from whom the boy-informant had learned of the sect's existence, led a daily and disgustingly law-abiding life. That is, he broke the laws, of course, but in small ways: buying food from the black traders, occasionally exchanging surplus produce for useful items rather than depositing them in a warehouse, bribing overzealous guards, and the like. At night, he preferred to sleep peacefully in his own bed, surrounded by his household. He worked as an oiler - processed fish oil (or fish itself, Celeste did not get into the intricacies of the process) into oil and combustible mixture for torches, lamps. Laskash worked part-time for the man by arrangement with the headman.

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 16:27

The ghouls didn't like the crafts quarter. For several reasons. Drunkards and the poor were rare there, which meant they had to look elsewhere for prey. Frequent guards walked around, and in addition, the natives led a mostly daytime lifestyle and slept at night, so that the girls moved through the deserted streets in short runs. For reasons unknown, the area had previously been settled by many middle-class citizens with ties to the sea - rich fishermen, clerks, and others who had saved up enough money for a house of their own but could not afford to buy a mansion. As a consequence - small plots with small houses, low fences, great hearing what neighbors say... It is possible to steal a person from here, of course, but there will be a lot of traces.

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 16:43

In his former life, Andrew's background in surveillance and espionage was limited to reading detective novels. He had not worked in the police, had no ties to gangsters, and his sluggish attempt to work as a journalist had failed because of his tendency to write the truth. Had he had any experience, perhaps he would have come up with something clever. Alas. The skills he'd acquired in his new body focused more on finding a victim and a brief stab out of the darkness followed by sucking blood - unhelpful in this case.

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 16:51

While Andrew hesitated, deciding what to do next, there were serious changes in the life of the city. Too serious to ignore. The search for the priest at the head of the sect had to be postponed.

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 16:52

The long-awaited winter finally arrived. The change of season for the locals was expressed in new clothes. People diligently wore raincoats, hats, and looked for other ways to protect themselves from the ubiquitous moisture. Rain was falling from the sky. At brief intervals throughout the day, drops of water drummed on the roofs of houses, poured into small streams in the streets and accumulated in pits and ditches, gradually forming full-flowing rivers where dust had lain before. Walking around the city became difficult because the drainage systems did not work, and the drains were clogged with garbage and earth. The sewers turned into a continuous stream of roaring water, or just dirty water, or ponds of muddy standing water - in short, it was wet everywhere.

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 16:59

The girls were not spared the trouble. Although Celesta paid attention to the deposits of mud on the walls, showing the level to which the water had risen, a lot had changed since last year. Collapses, leaky pipes, and corroded equipment had all contributed to the destruction of the city. The ghouls had to urgently caulk the hole leading to the underground river, using the leftover sealant. Using crowbar and swearing, they cleared numerous blockages in the path of the stream, diverting the danger from their homes. The workday began immediately upon awakening and merged into one monotonous and dirty labor, occasionally interrupted by feeding. After sunset, Celesta and Medea circled the nearby corridors, marking those where the water level was too high, then there was hurried patching of holes in the walls of the dwelling. Then one went about working while the other searched for an opportunity to satisfy her hunger.

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 17:04

Medea finally appreciated the merits of her friend's proposed method, and even began to find a certain pleasure in paying for the blood of the poor. She, with her incredible good looks, had no trouble convincing men to help a beautiful but miserable woman get by. She did not even leave money in all cases, especially if the victim was a regular donor. Strange as it may seem, more recently there have been such donors. In most cases, they were Morvan-worshippers who had lost their mentors and whose disturbed psyche demanded a new guru to guide them in the right direction. The poor people had completely lost the ability to think for themselves. There was also one pervert who had a crush on the honey-haired, undead beauty. Celesta vowed to unite the people into a cult at the earliest opportunity, but for now, alas, there was no time.

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 17:10

Oddly enough, she was not going to look for another "apartment". The place turned out to be comfortable, even if it had flaws. There was one flaw that had to be corrected to live in warmth, comfort, and tranquility. According to estimates, it was necessary to clear a few pipes and build a dam in one place, tightly packed with boards and clay corridors to direct the flow in a bypass. Of course, next winter will inevitably bring new problems, but they will be easier, and much less work will be required. Assignment for the hydraulic engineer.

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 17:22

Celesta thought with grim humor that the existence of a ghoul required not only physical strength, but also training in a wide variety of human knowledge. Psychology, anatomy, the basics of commerce, the biology and behavior of local creatures, the ability to move silently and hunt, construction, medicine - to help those too badly injured by fangs - topography, espionage, now hydrology. The list could go on ad infinitum, and experience in the shittiest part of the city, the sewers, would be an important part of it.

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 17:24

They lacked tools, and their clothes had long since become rags. The friends had one dress each, the ones they wore when they went out into the city to hunt - they had spent their time underground naked long ago. Injuries and scratches would heal instantly, at most after a good portion of blood, but the cloth would tear and never be repaired. Therefore, if an outsider suddenly appeared, attracted to the damp corridors by the sounds of pounding crowbars and shovels, a surprising picture would await him - two naked, covered with a thick layer of dirt girls (one of which looks like an expensive photo model, and the second is nice) are together doing repairs.

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 17:26

"Real Playboy..."

Camrad_RIP 09.01.22 в 21:59

"What did you say?"

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 17:30

"In my world, there was such a magazine for lovers of naked women. They would pay dearly for our pictures."

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 17:30

Medea looked around at herself and Celesta and suddenly laughed:

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 17:31

"Yeah! You know, I did a show for our "Classy Boy" once, but my father destroyed all the prints. He wasn't a very strong magician, but he had enough power for one newsroom. He got arrested for damaging a public building and got a huge fine."

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 17:43

They both felt no fatigue, which was a great advantage. The inevitable loss of strength had no effect on performance. The ghouls recovered easily from a few sips of blood. The demon inside each of them demanded a lot, but it also gave a lot.

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 17:44

"Do you think," Medea smiled slyly, "it might be worth going out hunting like that?"

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 17:46

"Don't even dare think about it! There are all sorts of whispers among people, so we don't need to give any more food for gossip."

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 18:02

Sooner or later it had to happen - people had to know about the ghouls living near them. Now it didn't matter if one of the donors had let it slip, or if one of the Richard porters had guessed who their guides were, or if Fakasius' men had blabbed, the fact remained that the gossip among the poor had not stopped. The guards and artisans were unaffected by the new "horror story," which led Celeste to assume the source of the rumors was some low-level donor or agent. As a matter of fact, she regarded everyone who shared blood regularly, once or twice a decade, as a source of information and treated them accordingly. In other words, possessive. If she got her hands on one who blabbed, she would tear him to pieces for the edification of the others.

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 18:04

"Well..." Beauty hissed angrily, hitting her foot with the shovel. "Naked girls on the street are much more interesting than some ghouls, whether seen or not. They'll change the subject in a moment."

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 18:08

"You just want to have some fun," Hit. "So do I," Hit. "To get away from this boring stuff. Hold the board. Sorry, honey, you're gonna have to be patient. It won't be long now, the rains will stop soon."

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 18:09

"I know!" Medea snorted. "That's what I told you about the climate!"

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 18:12

Dinirs were running out, clothes were tattered, and informants needed something to pay them. There was a simple choice: either to sell the goods accumulated for a "rainy day" cheaply, but quickly, or to look for work urgently. One could lead Richard's caravan - the guards were now sitting quietly, keeping their heads down in the rain-soaked streets. Holiness hinted at something in his way the last time we met. Celesta hadn't been interested then, but now she might have to take him up on his offer. It's time to stop being so clean-cut. Or try something else? Rob the port control building: that's where they always keep large sums of money to pay the soldiers...

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 20:35

The ghoul mentally began to make a list of things she needed. Four pairs of pants, a shirt, a jacket to replace the tattered one, boots or, at the very least, sandals, a shovel bent, nails needed... The fact that he had to wear women's clothes annoyed Andrew. Not because they are women's - compared to the other troubles the appearance was perceived as an absurd trifle - but because of the discomfort. The dress was bad to crawl on walls, it clung to ledges or bushes, constantly torn, in short, interfered with movement. Even Medea preferred to wear pants if she wasn't going to show her face. According to her stories, the Sylvan girls rarely wore men's clothes: the religion was rather rigid about the separation of the sexes, although there were exceptions, such as the warrior-girl orders.

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 20:40

It was worth meeting with Richard at least because of the news he was willing to share. Communicating with those in power was not in vain, and in addition to the purely material dividends, it brought a fair amount of useful information. Guardian officers had indeed recently begun to actively solicit small bands of bandits operating in the Pit. They promised shelter, protection, and sometimes weapons and supplies. Such friendliness had never been seen before. Higher-ranking officials worked with the leaders of large gangs - here the stakes were bigger. Richard, for example, was offered to become a kind of feudal lord, to have an entire village at his fingertips.

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 20:43

The authorities intended to encircle the existing settlements with another ring of small forts, where they would place detachments of former mercenaries. They would add men, arm them at their own expense, and swear not to interfere in matters on the condition that they would arrange for a steady supply of food to the city. When the bandit tried to deny the idea, citing the sheer number of creatures in the area, the officiant grinningly advised him not to worry. The problem would soon go away, he said.

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 20:46

Richard promised to think about it.

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 20:46

"They offer another option," he told the girl next to him. Close, but not too close. "A permanent job, like the guards. A full paycheck from the treasury, living in the city, all the associated privileges."

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 20:47

He decided to talk to Celesta deliberately. The clever undead would not babble, but she could advise him what was useful. Borak, though loyal to the point of speechlessness, does not shine with intelligence, and that was for the best - less temptation to throw off the ringleader. The ghoul knows a great deal, and most importantly, knows how to apply her knowledge. So let her help her ally! Lucky him, nothing can be said. He was lucky, both when he met Celesta and later when he decided not to kill the undead. When you think about it, he had a lot to gain from the acquaintance.

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 20:50

Let her continue to drink blood - as long as it helps him.

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 20:50

"The Duke was determined to take control of the city." The girl sat perfectly still, only a low whisper coming from beneath the handkerchief that hid her face. "I think he's got his plan all worked out, and that's what he's doing. It all goes too smoothly. You don't have much choice, you either fit into the growing structure, or you're eliminated when you're not needed."

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 20:54

"You mean the village is better?" Richard clarified.

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 20:55

"It's up to you to decide. The authorities will control the ex-gangsters. It's inevitable." Celeste paid no attention to the indignant hiss of her interlocutor, "Surely they will assign an officer with greater authority to assist you or monitor you in other ways. When do they expect an answer?"

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 20:57

"In a month and a half at the latest."

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 20:57

"They want to determine by the spring."

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 21:07

"I don't know how they intend to clean up the area," Richard pondered. "If you leave the city for twenty-four hours of travel, it's as if you're going to hell."

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 21:09

"Is it really that bad?"

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 21:09

Talунф is, after all, a human city, and the creatures are destroyed here. They are not allowed to grow, to unite into packs. Things are much worse from here. Although from one perspective, mutants starve each other to death. The strongest survive. They were bred for the most part to eat human meat, and are not interested in simple beasts. That's why there aren't many of them left, but they are more dangerous than the ones in the city.

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 21:15

Celesta took note of what was said, but nothing more. She was concerned with other matters now - primarily whether the ringleader was going to smuggle contraband back through the line of posts. If he had been made a serious offer, it would be foolish to squander his reputation on trivialities and greed. Richard, however, had no doubts, firmly setting a date for the future crossing. Well, the choice was his.

Camrad_RIP 08.01.22 в 21:16

The conversation with His Holiness had to be sacrificed to the desire to live in comfort. Celesta was fixing up the repairs, finishing the last drain for the stream, and hoped to be rid of the threat of the flood in about three days. They had to hurry: the newfound "ghouls worshiper" were bothering her more and more. Deprived of their guiding hand, the donors began to seek the sphere of application of their efforts, which could not but disturb the undead, accustomed to secrecy. They urgently needed something to occupy them, preferably with benefits. Medea was restraining the fanatics' zeal for now, but she wouldn't last long.

Camrad_RIP 09.01.22 в 22:04

There was a possibility: one of the loonies was working as a loader in a harbor tavern. That is, he could give his unscrupulous master an idea about a new supplier. Another morvanite in a former life was an alchemist and knew how to use two herbs and a local mineral to give the beer a "unique, persistent taste" that was inconspicuously addictive. The effects of the mild drug passed quickly, and in earlier years it was even sold freely in some pharmacies. Trouble was, the meager dope market in Taleya was tightly controlled by serious people, and one was afraid to venture into it without preparation. Celesta was going to test the product first, see the results, build a chain of maker-buyers, enlist Fakasy's support - she'd have to share with the old goat, but what could she do? - and only then produce serious batches. The cultists would find something to do at once: they could combine their service to the Lord of Darkness with replenishing the budget of His earthly messengers.

Camrad_RIP 09.01.22 в 22:12

In short, it was nearly two months before the ghouls visited the Artisan Quarter again. Once again they were unfortunate: the master of Poyr had an urgent order, for which reason he forced his subordinates to work day and night. The conversation was again postponed. Laskash had mentioned several other names of people serving the Lord of Light, but first, nothing more was known about them, and second, Celesta decided to kill two birds with one stone. Let Morvan's slaves follow the servants of his brother and enemy, proving their loyalty and usefulness by deed. With special luck, which Celesta dared not hope for, it would be possible to infiltrate her man into the camp of ideological opponents. It is unlikely that among the dull-witted fanatics there was a person with a suitable mindset, quite artistic and, most importantly, loyal, but what if she was lucky? An agent among the light-worshippers is bound to be needed - if not now, then later.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.22 в 08:10

That's why we must first get to know the people who voluntarily put their necks to the fangs of ghouls. Why they do it, what makes them do this weird thing, what can be expected of them. How well they were thinking, after all. Celeste fed on three, Medea promised to bring two more, making a total of five. Then she could consider whether to deal with them, whether to bring more people into the cult or to cut them all out mercilessly. Yes, she considered that option, too - because the owner shoots a mad dog.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.22 в 08:12

It took another week to form a cult. Everyone was checked, and they were especially talkative in Medea's presence. They were all men, and the beauty of the undead was seen by them as an extra sign of the touch of Darkness. So Celeste preferred to watch the conversation from the sidelines, especially since being an aloof observer allowed her to more accurately profile each cultist. As she regretfully admitted, all of them had mental problems. Not being a specialist in psychiatry, she did not know exactly what is the name of the disease in which a person's critical thinking fails and he rejects any evidence of his wrongness. The perfect fanatics. It would be very difficult to control them, and there could be no talk of replenishing them. On the other hand, there is also no need to get rid of them: they are good for the role of small informers, cannon fodder, or food reserves.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.22 в 08:13

Remembering Carlon's actions, Medea acted out an entire play. A man was brought to an underground cell - a scrubbed technical room in the sewers - and left in front of the Morvan statue in complete darkness. When the client was " ready," an undead came to him. Wrapped in a translucent robe of ex-curtain, her face stained with blood, her fangs gleaming in the dim light, her snow-white skin, and the scarlet streaks in her pupils, she bore a striking resemblance to the one from the underworld. The mere sight of her threw her off balance, and when the woman began to speak... She made wonders with her voice. Celesta had never heard her recordings, but she knew for a fact that the world had lost a great singer.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.22 в 08:16

She preferred to act differently. To unite with the person in thoughts, to get into his skin, to feel his interests, desires, aspirations - and gradually to direct the conversation in the right direction. Whisper on the verge of hearing, trusting bowed head, smooth hand movements mesmerized the man, clouded the mind to the point that he could not resist the orders of ghouls, and openly blurted out his most secret thoughts. A familiar and relaxed interlocutor was easier to put into a trance, but Celesta had already hunted twice in this way on the streets, erasing the memory of her victims. More blood was needed, though: using the awakened ability took its toll.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.22 в 08:17

Andrei was not surprised by the capabilities of the ghoul's body; he did not throw himself against the walls with cries of "Impossible"! In his past life, he had often met hypnotists, psychics of all kinds, so he felt prepared and for bigger miracles. So far, what was happening was within the framework of ordinary - for him ordinary - knowledge, in some ways even evoked nostalgia for bygone times. Hypnosis? A voice that made men go crazy? Yes, half of the gypsy women did it for a living! The barrier in front of Illyar's temple or Carlon's magic was another matter: they were phenomena of a different kind.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.22 в 08:19

As hopeless as the Morvanians were in matters of faith, they did a fine job of surveillance. They managed to find time to follow the devotees of the Lord of Light who were gathering in the temple, and they identified the head, a short, thin man who was called Master Garresh by others. Surveillance of the rank-and-file cultists was no longer necessary: Poyr was lucky. The ghouls were only interested in the preacher, and now that they knew his identity and address, they had to decide how to proceed.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.22 в 08:21

"I don't understand why you're so obsessed with this priest," Medea said frankly. "The sect is small, it stays away from the authorities, and it does no harm. I think we ought to start trading now, save some money, make some connections. I've been thinking more and more about having the tavern, with the income from the customers and the safe food from the drunks."

Camrad_RIP 10.01.22 в 08:22